ORLEANS – From the Cape & Islands District Attorney’s Office: Cape & Islands District Attorney Robert J. Galibois announced today that 76-year-old Richard Alberts, of Orleans, MA, was found guilty by a Barnstable County Superior Court Jury for his role in the abuse of a minor in the town of Orleans.
In July 2022, a sexual assault was reported to the Orleans Police Department. The victim disclosed that the Defendant began to sexually assault her in the summer months after she finished the 5th grade (2017) and continued sometime into her 8th grade year (2021). Sgt. Greene and Lt. McLaughlin from the Orleans Police Department launched an extensive investigation which resulted in 3 indictments for Aggravated Rape of a Child and 1 indictment of Indecent Assault and Battery on a Child Under Fourteen. The age gap between the Defendant and the victim exceeded 50 years.
The jury returned guilty verdicts on the charges of Indecent Assault and Battery on a child under 14 and 3 counts of Aggravated Rape of a Child.
At the sentencing hearing today, the Cape & Islands District Attorney’s Office requested a sentence of 20-30 years to serve in prison for the Rape convictions to be followed by 5 years of probation on the Indecent Assault and Battery conviction. The Court sentenced Defendant Alberts, age 76 years, to 12-14 years state’s prison on the Rape convictions and 3 years’ probation on the Indecent Assault and Battery conviction.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Kevin Burke and Victim/Witness Assistant Deborah McCoy. The investigation was done by members of the Orleans Police Department, including Sgt. Greene and Lt. McLaughlin.
District Attorney Galibois commends the victim on the courage it took to stand up to someone that had abused her, and even more strength to see a criminal matter through to a jury trial. Facing that process and allowing her voice to be heard before a jury is no small thing. We recognize the victim’s courage, resilience, and determination
